


If The Worst Should Come To Pass

by VerbenaDestroyer



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-02-02 00:13:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12715803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VerbenaDestroyer/pseuds/VerbenaDestroyer
Summary: Hi! I haven't written in years now haha. I recently got into my ME obsession again, and this idea got in my head and just wont get out. A work in progress, not sure how it will end up going honestly haha. Enjoy! I appreciate all feedback, its really helped me out!





	1. At All Costs

She heard him calling to her, after the bright light. She couldn’t feel most of her body and had no idea where she was. Dead, most likely. She listened to his voice call her again, “Shepard, Shepard…” His subharmonics crackling through the radio. Remembrance of his sweet touches that night before they arrived on Earth made her feel warm inside. The voice got louder, harsher. More urgent. Apparently she wouldn’t be resting in peace.

 

She took a breath and pain radiating through her being. Her legs were weak, and there was blood coming from her abdomen somewhere. Her face burned; if there was any skin left, it surely didn’t look good. She attempted another breath and hitched as her chest screamed in pain. Damn, all that technology Cerberus put in and broken ribs still hurt like a bitch.

 

She picked her face up from the ground and saw a keeper standing over her. Apparently, she blended in with the corpses strewn across the floor because it paid her no mind. She pulled her arms in front of her and got to her feet. Her name was still being repeated over the line.

 

> “Shepard here. Is that you, Garrus?”
> 
> “Shepard! You made it. We made it to the beam, were on the Citadel.” Her head spun as she tried to understand.
> 
> “Garrus, where are you? I’m in a room full of bodies, I’ve never seen this part of the Citadel before.”
> 
> “I just passed what looked like the inside of the Collector base. Keepers typing and sorting through remains. I’m in a room. A bridge, really big chasm. Where are you, Shepard?”
> 
> “I think I’m near the exit.” She picked up her handgun lying a few feet in front of her. She took slow, pained steps through their conversation towards the opposite end of the room. A few more steps and the wall opened to expose the bridge.
> 
> “Garrus, I’m at the bridge.”
> 
> “I see a console, I’m just going—“ Static.
> 
> “Garrus, wait for me. I’m—Garrus? Dammit.” She continued her limp up the bridge and across the chasm, The structures holing the walls seemed to shift and change before her eyes. Jane ignored it and kept her focus ahead.

 

She could see bright light ahead; an expanse of empty room. Something beyond, but her eyes couldn’t focus enough to tell. She saw him at the console; her heart fluttered. Her breath was ragged enough just making it up the bridge so she didn’t call to him even though every fiber of her being wanted to.

 

She made it a few feet from him and raggedly called his name. He turned around robotically, facing her with a face of terror.

 

> “Shepard—I can’t—“He was frozen. She was trying to catch her breath as her head spun. What was happening to him?

 

“I underestimated you Shepard.” The Illusive man walked from behind her, taking a space near Garrus. His words blurred in and out of her head. Control, humanity… Garrus spat something back at him but she couldn’t make it out; her ears were ringing and a sharp pain sliced through her head as she raised her gun at Garrus. The Illusive man’s voice rose higher, the buzzing in her mind grew intense, and she heard a pop. She opened her eyes and saw Garrus bleeding from the abdomen, only upright because the Illusive man willed it so.

 

> “They’re controlling you, you need to break free from them.” Garrus growled through the pain.
> 
> “No! I control them! I do! We will take humanity to the very top of galactic civilization! We have earned our rightful place!”
> 
> “You’re doing exactly what the Reapers want! Listen to yourself, do you really think they would let you have control? Do you really think you can save humanity? Were up here fighting each other, exactly how they want!” Shepard gave one last ditch effort to convince him. “Let us go, we can fix this. It’s not too late.”
> 
> The Illusive man was pacing now, his hands on his head. He stopped and took Garrus’ pistol, then faced Shepard.
> 
> “Let us go. You are stronger than them, you can fight them.”
> 
> “I… I tried, Shepard.” He raised the gun and ended himself. The buzzing stopped, the pain lessened, and her vision cleared. She heard Garrus fall to the ground. She rushed to the console and opened the arms of the Citadel. She watched the Crucible dock into the opening while clutching onto the ends of the console.

Garrus pulled himself along the floor to her. She saw him and let herself down to the ground with him. Jane pulled him up against her, popping his badly damaged chest armor off and pushing it to the side. He tried to hold himself up, but eventually allowed himself to lean on her, and then lay in her lap.

> “Garrus,” She could feel the blood seeping out of her abdomen and her ribs burning in pain as she laid her head on his shoulder. They could see Earth from here.
> 
> “Yeah, Jane?” He groaned as he reached his arm up to hold her hand.
> 
> “We did it.” She ran her other hand over his plumage.
> 
> “We sure did.” She could hear him breathing, deep and slow. She could tell neither of them had much time left.
> 
> “I love you.” She almost whispered.
> 
> “I love you, too.” He smiled up at her. “It’s been an honor, Commander.” He saluted her weakly from her lap.
> 
> “It’s not over yet, soldier. We’re almost through this but we have a bit to go.” His eyes shut and she could feel him losing strength.
> 
> “There’s no Shepard without Vakarian.” Her vision was getting blurry again, the brightness of the room fading. Her pain was quieting, and she felt the heavy blanket of sleep beginning to cover her.
> 
> “Meet me at the bar, babe.” He whispered up to her. She could feel the tears stinging at her eyes. It was time, she decided. She shut her eyes and let her torso bend over to rest on his chest.
> 
> “Shepard! Shepard!” Another voice ripping her from eternal rest, once again. It was Hackett.
> 
> “Hackett. What…” She was slurring.
> 
> “The Crucible is not firing, there must be something wrong on your end!” She pulled herself up and groggily looked up at the console.
> 
> “What do I need to do?” She pulled her legs from under Garrus and tried to stand, falling backwards. She pulled herself up by the console, and slammed her hand against the keys. “I don’t know what…” Her legs gave way and she landed on Garrus’ chest.


	2. Synthesis

Her mind and ears opened before her eyes. Words flowed through her mind, colors and shapes briefly taking up space in her eyes before fading back to black.  


 

“So there will be peace?” She heard him say. His gruff, soothing voice called out through the dark. She opened her eyes.

 

“Yes. Synthesis of organic an synthetic life is the final stepping stone of evolution.” Another voice. Familiar, but no name or face came with the recollection.

 

She saw dark space, stars, and explosions in the endless abyss. A Reaper’s laser cut across her line of sight. She turned to her stomach, her bones aching and muscles crying for rest. She saw him limping towards a bright blue beam shooting up from the ground. A small child turned toward her; a VI interface maybe?

 

“You can rest.” The child said. She looked again to Garrus walking towards the beam. Panic set in.

 

“Wait! Garrus! Get back here now!” She screamed hoarsely to him; he was too far for her to run to. He looked back at her for several moments. “What are you doing? What is he doing? Where are you going?” She continued to scream as she scrambled to her feet. She fell repeatedly, still screaming for him. She saw his silhouette turn and fall into the beam.

 

A bright green light exploded from the beam and consumed everything her sight.

 

The first time she woke up, she was on a stretcher carried by a human and a Salarian. They pushed through crowds of people as she floated in and out of consciousness. She opened her eyes again and saw faces hovering over her, all their eyes glowing green. She could feel hands on her skin; a radiating pain flowing through her. Jane shut her eyes again, this time with the intention of sleep and rest.

 

The third time she woke, Jane was alone in a cold room with white blankets pulled up to her chest. She shut her eyes and opened them again, making sure it was reality she was looking at this time. Jane moved her hands over her arms, torso, thighs, and wiggled her toes to make sure she was intact. She didn’t note any physical pain of significance other than being a bit sore. She grabbed onto the side rails of the bed and pulled herself over to her side, then used her arms against the mattress to push herself up.

 

Jane scanned the small room, noting a sink and a few chairs, a table with some medical instruments on it. A clinic or hospital surely, she thought. Jane pulled her legs over the edge of the bed and looked down at the floor. She was wearing a gown of some kind and fuzzy socks up to her knees. Shepard took a few deep breaths and stretched her arms above her head. She lowered herself to the floor and her knees gave way. Crumpled to the ground, she sighed and pulled herself back up by the bed railing and steadied herself a bit before continuing.

 

Making her way to the door with the help of walls and counters, Shepard pushed the door open, revealing a quiet, sterile white hallway. To her left, at the end of the hall, she could see a nurse’s station with several bodies hustling about; the entry to another corridor a bit before the station. To her right, she saw a set of double doors. She heard a small voice crying, human… no, asari? She couldn’t tell. Knowing she would be sent back to bed if she confronted the nurses, she opted to go down the hall through the double doors. Walking was becoming a bit easier with each step, and she could use a little walk. She held onto the wall railing and took each step slowly, but certainly. Why was she here? What had happened? She remembered a green light…

 

Slowly she began to remember what had happened on Earth, on her way to the beam, and on the Citadel. Garrus… It must have been a dream of some kind, who knows what kind of injuries she had sustained and how much blood she had lost. Surely he would be around here somewhere. She decided to turn around to make her way to the nurse’s station; she would be taken to bed again but maybe they would give her some answers.

 

The double doors came crashing open a few feet behind her as three asari doctors pushed a screaming woman with swollen belly through the hall. Startling Shepard, she tripped over herself and fell to the floor again. One of the doctors screamed for a nurse from the station as they continued wheeling the screaming woman down the corridor. A human came running down the hall to her.

  


“I’m alright, I’m fine, I can get on my feet just fine.” Shepard pulled on the railing, but her arms weren’t strong enough to hoist her body up again. The nurse took her under her arm and helped her to stand, keeping support under her to ensure she stayed up this time.

  


> “Ma’am, we need to get you back to your room, what is your name?”
> 
> “Jane, Jane Shepard.” The nurse’s eyes widened as they walked back to the room.
> 
> “Shepard? Commander Shepard? How long have you been up?” She helped her into the bed and pulled the covers over her again.
> 
> “A few minutes I guess, what’s going on?”
> 
> “I will send the doctor in to speak with you, you’ve been asleep a long time and there is a lot to catch you up on.” Before Jane could say another word, the nurse was gone. Jane sighed and laid against the mattress again, her eyes beginning to feel droopy.
> 
>   
> 

Her eyes were still tired, but she felt a hand holding her own. She looked up to see a familiar face looking back at her.

  


> “Thane? What are you doing here?” She sat up a bit, shaking the sleep from her face. “You’re sick, how were you able to get here? Where exactly are we?” Questions spilled from her mouth.
> 
> “Shepard, there is much to tell you. You are correct, I was very ill, however, my disease has been cured.”
> 
> “Wow, that’s great Thane. But how long have I been out? They found a cure that quickly? I didn’t think—“
> 
>   
>  “Shepard, there is much to tell you. You have been asleep for several months. You are at the Huerta Memorial Hospital; it was reconstructed after synthesis occurred and united us with the Reapers.”
> 
> “United? What the hell do you mean?” She sat up, frustrated and confused.
> 
> “Garrus. He…” Thane held her hand tighter. “Garrus—“
> 
> “Where is Garrus? We made it through, I can remember that much. We both made it to the Citadel, the Illusive man, we opened the arms, we…” Jane’s voice trailed off, hoping and praying her final memories of Garrus plunging into the beam were just some delusion.
> 
> “Shepard, Garrus is no longer with us.”
> 
> “Synthesis…” She couldn’t deny it.
> 
> “Put simply, he gave his energy to the crucible to synthesize all organic and synthetic life. You and I, as well as every being in the galaxy, are now partially synthetic; you a bit more than you were before.”
> 
> “He’s gone.”
> 
> “Yes. His memories and knowledge are with us. He’ll always be with you, Shepard.” Thane looked down at the floor, unsure if this would comfort her or not.
> 
> “He’s gone.” She repeated.
> 
> “Yes.” Thane let the silence come between them. He continued to hold her hand. He could feel her skin become cold and could see the color drain from her face. Thane looked again to the floor, allowing Shepard to grieve.
> 
> “I understand.” Shepard finally spoke several moments later.
> 
> “There is more, Shepard. I am not sure if you are ready to hear it yet.”
> 
> “Tell me.” She said quietly; empty.
> 
> He raised his head to her and looked into her sad, empty eyes. “The doctor will need to come in to explain the science behind this, but, Shepard, you are expecting child as well.”
> 
> Her face twisted into a confused spiral. “Child? As in, pregnant? No, that isn’t possible, Thane. Someone has made a huge mistake.”
> 
> “No, Shepard. It is true.” Thane continued.
> 
> “Thane, a Turian and a human cannot conceive.” She said, almost embarrassed to say it out loud. A pang of sadness rung through her at the memory of that night, and she felt anger surging through her. “There is no way possible, Garrus did his research. We—we… we talked about after…” A tear came to her eye, her throat catching tightly.
> 
> “Shepard. The synthesis has changed many, many things, some we don’t know of yet and a lot we don’t understand.”
> 
> Jane felt the tears falling, rolling hot off her cheeks. She couldn’t bear to look down to her stomach, afraid of the truth. “Not without him.” She tightened her grip on his hand. “It should have been me, Thane. I should have been the one to go.”
> 
> “Siha, you meant to be here. It wouldn’t be any other way.”

A sob escaped her chest. She couldn’t remember the last time she cried, let alone sobbed. Her chest heaved in another breath to replace the one before. Shepard first felt with her free hand, then confirmed with her eyes what Thane was telling her. Her abdomen was a bit swelled.

> “God dammit! This can’t be real.” She let another sob out, not caring anymore about her composure. “God dammit, this is insane.” Thane stood and took her in his arms. He pushed her dark hair back and held her gently, praying to Arashu for peace and strength.

Time had come to be meaningless to Shepard in those moments. Thane kept his arms around her and she kept her head on his chest. Her tears stopped and her breathing evened to slow, deep inhalations. She kept her head there; she didn’t want him to let her go. It was peaceful in a way there. Time did not exist. She could focus on the darkness, the earthy scent of his skin, and the light hum in his chest as he prayed.

He let her go, holding her hand and looking into her eyes. “Siha, you are strong. You are not alone. I will be here at your side.”

She blinked, nodding slowly. Her red eyes left him and scanned over the room. “Where is everyone else?” Her voice creaked.

> “During the synthesis the mass effect relays were made nonfunctional. I have made contact with the Normandy and the crew aboard. The Normandy is currently not functional; however, the Reapers are assisting with repairing the relays as well as ships. Joker said as soon as they are off the ground they will come to the Citadel to see you.”

Jane did not respond to him. Just thinking about having to tell the crew what happened made her nauseated.

> “Thank you, Thane.” He nodded to her.
> 
> “Would you like me to leave you, Commander?”
> 
> She thought for a few moments. “Could you send the doctor?”
> 
> “Of course, Siha. Send for me when you would like company; I will be here.”

She stared up at the ceiling. Several months? Pregnant? How would this work? She sighed. She cautiously felt her stomach, bulging in her gown.

 

An asari doctor came into the room just a few moments later. She explained that Shepard had sustained very serious injuries; had she not been partially synthetic she would not have been able to recover. Jane was found in the Citadel and transported to a small makeshift clinic until the hospital was repaired. It was then that tests were performed and it was discovered she was indeed pregnant. Like Thane had said, the synthesis had changed many things very recently; the biology wasn’t entirely understood. This being the first cross species pregnancy, her condition was unpredictable. She was kept under supervision at the hospital, and would continue until after the birth, given she chose to carry until term.

 

Left with this information, Shepard dismissed the doctor. There was nothing left to say.

**Author's Note:**

> Besides the obvious major changes, I tried to follow cannon as much as I could without quoting the entire end scene haha


End file.
